Method and system for ultrasonic proximity service

Abstract

A network service can detect an ultrasonic signal by an ultrasonic receptive component of a first device. The ultrasonic signal can be based on an ultrasonic output signal transmitted from an audio output component. In response to the detected ultrasonic signal, the network service can perform a network service operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating computing devices to provide transport for requesters of a network service, the method comprising:
 in response to an event corresponding to a requester device being within a proximity distance threshold to a service provider device, triggering the service provider device to initiate a listening mode in which the service provider device operates to detect ultrasonic signals; 
 detecting, by an ultrasonic receptive component of the service provider device, a first ultrasonic signal outputted by the requester device; 
 determining, by the service provider device, a service provider operating the service provider device is matched to a requester operating the requester device, based on information determined from the first ultrasonic signal and information received from the network service; and 
 in response to determining that the service provider is matched to the requester, authorizing a transport that is to be provided by the service provider to be associated with an account of the requester device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the requester device includes an audio output component to output the first ultrasonic signal. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is a gyroscope. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is an electro-acoustic transducer. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is an accelerometer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining that the service provider is matched to the requester includes:
 obtaining an ultrasonic signature associated with a service request associated with the requester; and 
 based on the determined one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal, determining whether the one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match the ultrasonic signature of the service request associated with the requester. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the requester device outputs the first ultrasonic signal in response to the requester device entering in a specified area. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the requester device outputs the first ultrasonic signal in response to the requester device being within the proximity distance threshold to
 the service provider device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to detecting the first ultrasonic signal:
 detecting, by the ultrasonic receptive component of the service provider device, a previous ultrasonic signal; 
 determining that the previous ultrasonic signal is transmitted for a first duration of time and within a first frequency range that extends from a first frequency to a second frequency; and 
 based on the first frequency range and the first duration of time, determining that the previous ultrasonic signal is a preamble of a binary code. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 obtaining a match code specific to a service request associated with the requester; and 
 wherein determining the service provider is matched to the requester includes:
 determining the first ultrasonic signal was transmitted for a second duration of time and within a second frequency range that extends from a first frequency to a second frequency; 
 subsequently detecting a set of ultrasonic signals; 
 for each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals, determining that each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals was transmitted for a duration of time within a frequency range; 
 based on (i) the first frequency range, (ii) the first duration of time, (iii) the second frequency range, (iv) the second duration of time, (v) the frequency ranges of each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals, and (vi) the duration of time that each ultrasonic signal was transmitted, determining that the first ultrasonic signal and each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals corresponds to a bit state; and 
 based on the bit states that correspond to the first ultrasonic signal and each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals, determining that the bit states that correspond to the first ultrasonic signal and to each ultrasonic signal of the set of ultrasonic signals match the match code. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a service provider device to:
 in response to an event corresponding to a requester device being within a proximity distance threshold to the service provider device, trigger the service provider device to initiate a listening mode in which the service provider device operates to detect ultrasonic signals; 
 detect a first ultrasonic signal transmitted by the requester device; 
 determine a service provider operating the service provider device is matched to a requester operating the requester device, based on information determined from the first ultrasonic signal and information received from a network computer system; and 
 in response to determining that the service provider is matched to the requester, authorize a transport that is to be provided by the service provider to be associated with an account of the requester device. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the requester device includes an audio output component to transmit the first ultrasonic signal. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the service provider device includes an ultrasonic receptive component to detect the first ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic receptive component being a gyroscope. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the service provider device includes an ultrasonic receptive component to detect the first ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic receptive component being an electro-acoustic transducer. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the service provider device includes an ultrasonic receptive component to detect the first ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic receptive component being an accelerometer. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the service provider device to:
 determine one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions that cause the service provider device to determine that the service provider is matched to the requester, further causes the service provider device to:
 obtain an ultrasonic signature associated with a service request associated with the requester; and 
 based on the determined one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal, determine whether the one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match the ultrasonic signature of the service request associated with the requester. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the requester device outputs the first ultrasonic signal in response to the requester device entering in a mass egress area. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the requester device outputs the first ultrasonic signal in response to the requester device being within the proximity distance threshold to the service provider device.